At least nine people were killed in a strong earthquake which struck the Himalayan region of Tibet, Chinese state media said early Tuesday, quoting the rescue headquarters at the epicentre.

The earthquake struck at 4:30 pm (0830 GMT) Monday in a sparsely populated area about 84 kilometres (50 miles) west of the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, the US Geological Survey said.

US seismologists initially put the magnitude of the quake at 6.6, but later revised that down to 6.3.

The tremor in Tibet came after a 6.6-magnitude quake struck near China's border with Kyrgyzstan, killing at least 72 people. Shortly thereafter, another strong earthquake rattled China's far northwest.

Several aftershocks followed in Tibet, with one measuring 5.4.

At least 147 houses were destroyed in worst-hit Yangi and neighbouring villages in Damxung county, Xinhua reported.

Rescuers, who arrived late Monday after repairing the quake-damaged road, had recovered nine bodies from the rubble, it said. Another 19 people were injured, 11 seriously. An earlier report that at least 30 people were killed was inaccurate, Xinhua said.

Soldiers, police and medical teams had been dispatched to the area, where roads and communications had been initially cut off by the quake, it said.

The quake was felt strongly in Lhasa, Xinhua said, citing local sources.

"I was shaken for a few seconds and lamps in the office swayed. Then everything returned to normal," the report quoted one of its own Lhasa-based reporters as saying.

"Judging from how I felt, the tremor would not damage the cultural relics in Lhasa... There is no panic in the streets now. Shops remain open."

Xinhua also quoted its local staff as saying there was no visible damage to Lhasa's world-famous Potala Palace or the sacred Jokhang Temple.

Rail services between Tibet and Qinghai were operating normally, as were flights in and out of Lhasa, Xinhua said.

China suffers frequent earthquakes. An 8.0-magnitude quake struck southwestern Sichuan province on May 12, flattening entire towns and leaving more than 87,000 people dead or missing.